Well, this one is going to be weird to write … because I want to stress that this is not goodbye. This is ‘wait for what’s next!’
Last month, the timing was just perfect. To celebrate the entrance of spring and the growing season ahead of us, on this page, I shared a photo of me and my local lawn care applicator, taken a few hours before we went to press.
This month, the timing is again fortuitous. As I write this page (the last page I write of every issue), only hours ago, we shared this news with our readers: we hired a new Editor-in-Chief for Landscape Management. His name is Scott Hollister and I’m so excited to introduce you to him.
A little history here: Scott and I were co-workers from 1999 to 2012 when we both worked on the magazine Golf Course Management (GCM), the official publication of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America. In 2012, I was hired away by North Coast Media to lead the magazine Golfdom, a competitor to GCM. I was young(er) and eager for the opportunity to lead a magazine on my own.
In the ensuing years, I think it’s OK to say that things have gone well. So well, in fact, that a little over five years ago I was asked if I would lead both LM and Golfdom in a dual role — working as Editor-in-Chief over both publications. I said yes to the promotion (of course) and I’m thankful I did; the people I’ve met and the places I’ve seen over the last 64 issues have been remarkable.
But with staff turnover and the continued growth of the magazine, a change was necessary. We knew we needed another veteran editor on the magazine, and we knew we wanted someone who could come in on day one and have the connections and the experience in the green industry to make an immediate impact. That was the moment I decided to text Scott — to invite him to 23rd Street Brewery in Lawrence, Kan., so I could ask the question, ‘Can I talk to you about an opportunity I have at Landscape Management magazine?’
Scott spent 26 years working for GCM, so it was not an easy move for him. But after multiple lunches, meetings and phone calls … I’m excited to tell you that Scott is again my co-worker.
I will move into the role of Editorial Director of LM, which is a fancy way of saying, ‘I get to do what I want to!’ I will also maintain my position as Editor-in-Chief of Golfdom, a job I’ve had for 13 years.
Once the news went out today, Scott’s LinkedIn account erupted with new LinkedIn connection requests. That didn’t surprise me. He might be new to you, and you might be new to him, but he isn’t new to the green industry. I know he’s the perfect person to come in and build upon what the team has been doing for the past five years: creating the most trusted, valued, best magazine in the industry.
I hope you’ve enjoyed the last five years of this magazine and found the content useful. Trust me when I say that you’ll be seeing more from me and all your friends at LM — in person, online and in the magazine — soon.
I wonder what’s next?
